James J. McCarthy

EASTHAMPTON

James J. McCarthy, known to many as Deacon, passed on June 14, 2018. The son of the late Daniel and Mary (Lynch) McCarthy, he was born on August 26, 1938. A graduate of St. Jerome High School, Deacon proudly served in the Army, later attended Westfield State College, and UMass Amherst, earning a Master’s Degree in Education. He taught school in Springfield for 33 years retiring in 2001. A lifelong lover of the arts, James sang with a barbershop chorus as well as a quartet, performing around the Valley. He was a twig painter, learning the craft from Richard Doyle in Springfield. Volunteering many hours interviewing veterans at the Chicopee Senior Center to preserve their stories, recordings were made and sent to the National Archives in Washington, D.C. He enjoyed fishing with his grandson JJ, and his good friend, John Wright, was an avid reader and loved travel.  An active volunteer for Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen, Deacon served on their board of directors, as well as their maintenance committee. Deacon was predeceased by his brother Daniel, and will be sorely missed by his wife Barbara, his daughter Laura McCarthy and grandson JJ Waldron of Chicopee, his sister Mary (Mitch) Slater, of Florida, a large extended family, and of course, his two beloved dogs, Buzz and Tina. A Funeral Service will be held on Wednesday, June 20, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. in the Barry J. Farrell Funeral Home, 2049 Northampton Street, Holyoke. Burial will be at the convenience of the family. A calling hour will be held prior to the service from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen on their website lorrainessoupkitchen.com or by mail to 170 Pendexter Ave, Chicopee, MA 01013.

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